Divergent Evolution

A look into divergence among Earth's living

Evolution

Evolution is the change in inherited characteristics of biological populations over successive generations Small mutations in genetic materials are sometimes passed on to future generations via sexual reproduction

On The Origin of Species

A piece of scientific literature written by Charles Darwin This book explained Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection
Was heavily disputed by scientists of the era

Natural Selection

A process in which some species pass-on genetic traits that improve survival and or reproduction This grasshopper has evolved its moss like camouflage through natural selection; making it harder to see

Constant natural adaptations create higher fitness

Fitness

The term that describes a genotypes success at reproducing A more fit species or individual animal, the better the chance that the animal will reproduce Survival of the fittest Animals diverge from their previous genetics in order to maintain their fitness

Variation

A change in an animal, form or function, that deviates from other organisms of the same species An evolutionary variation in a species occurs when the modification achieves greater fitness

Some camels developed two humps while others only have one

Genetic Drift

Random changes in alleles among populations These changes occur without actually increasing fitness These finches may have developed red faces as a result of a random mutations

Homologous Structures

Structures derived from a common ancestry

Important in proving evolution; as many species have similar bodily structures

Similar to many animals this salamander has eyes, legs, and arms Animals such as birds once had arms that diverged into wings

Comparative Embryology

A study pertaining to the similarities and differences that occur among embryos within different species This science explains how similar embryos can be in early stages of development, while it's end product may be very different based on genetics

Sickle-Cell Anemia

A genetic divergence that has occurred in African populations This genetic modification changes red blood cells in order to be more resistant to Malaria, a common disease in the African continent

While the rest of the worlds descendents do not carry this gene

Evolutionary Tree

A diagram or tree showing differences and relationships among species through their evolutionary paths
This model shows how the horse, that we now know, came to be through millions of years

Fossil Record

The history of life recorded by fossils

Important in understanding the various differences that have occurred to species over time Used as evidence in the linking of species through evolution

Bio-geography

The study of the distribution of species in geographical spaces and times Species inhabit areas because they have become more fit for that region These Sabra inhabit desert regions due to their specialized characteristics

Gene Pool

All of the genes contained in a population

These genes can be mixed and matched through sexual reproduction This lion pride contains many females with many different genetic combinations

Gene Flow

The movement of of genes from one population to another These Fuji apples were created by mixing a population of the Red Delicious and Ralls Janet apples Synthetic introduction, but gene flow none-the-less

Bottleneck Effect

Occurs when a population is suddenly reduced Leads to the reduction in the population alleles Similar to the black plague of Europe, which killed nearly 1/3 of the population; descendents are thought to carry the delta 32 gene which may grant resistance to the plague

Founder Effect

Occurs when a population is started by a few members of a population The silverback gorilla is a very secluded race that branched off from a typical African mountain gorilla These animals have developed their silver markings as a genetic drift.

Closing Thoughts

There are many reasons populations diverge; from a change in geography to a catastrophic plague
What we see is that species are constantly adapting to the changing world, it is a natural process

Earth is so different in so many areas that it would be impossible for the same exact species to live everywhere
Natural selection is what keeps the process movingby consistently allowing the fittest to reproduce

Works Cited Page 1

"Biogeography: Wallace and Wegener." Understanding Evolution. N.p., n.d.
Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/history_16>.
"Evidence for Evolution--Embryology." New York University. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2012. <http://www.nyu.edu/projects/fitch/courses/evolution/html/embryology.html>. Forests. "Genetic drift - definition from Biology-Online.org." Life Science Reference - Biology Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Genetic_drift>. "Understanding Evolution: Glossary." Understanding Evolution. University of California Berkeley, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.

Works Cited Page 2

<http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/glossary/glossary.php >. "Welcome to Evolution 101!." Understanding Evolution. University of California Berkeley, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. <http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evo_01>.